Crankshaft lathe



0a. 4, 1932. w. F. GROENE 1,8 0,434

011mm SHAFT LATBB Filed. Oct. 4. 1930 5 Sheets-$116M. 2

INVENTOR med Oct. 4. 1930 5 heets-Sheet 5 INVENTO Z ATTORNEYS 0a. 4, 1932. w. F. GROENE I I cum SHAFT LATHE Fiied Oct. 4519.30 5 Sheets-Sheet ,4

ATTORNEYS w. F. GROE'NE 1,880,434

Filed Oct. M11930 5 Mots-Sheet 5 r "1' l I K e m 8 o i m I m m W ATTORNEY! Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES rarer oFricE WILLIAII I. GBOENE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE R. K. LE BLONI: HACHINE TOOL GOMPANY, F CINCINNATI, 0E0, A COREORATION 0F OHIO CRANKSHAFT LATHE Application filed October 4, 1930. Serial Noa 486,4.32.

My invention relates to machine for simultaneously turning the crank pins of a crankshaft for an internal combustion engine such as is used in automotive equipment and the like, particularly where two tools are simultaneously applied to each crank pin during the machine operation.

Among its novel features is one wherein the feed for the tools acts in'a vertical line irrespective of the path of travel of the tool carrying arms. In other words, the arrangement is such that cams or cranks which impart movement to the tool holders relative to each other are driven in a straight line to and from each other, this line being in a vertical plane in the present arrangement.

Another novel feature is found in the arrangement of the drives for the master crankshafts, whereby it is possible to permit an increase of the distance between the shaftcenters without in any way disturbing the synchronous timing of the shafts.

Another novel feature is found in the slides for preventing the chips and fine particles of metal from getting into the working parts of the machine. y

In the drawings 2-- Figure l is a front elevation of a lathe embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan of the lathe.

Figure 3 is a section on line A of Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the lathe and shows the tool bars with their compensating drive and feeding arrangement.

Figure 4 is a partial plan of the lathe and shows the compensating drives of the master crank shafts.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view, diagrammatic in character, of the drive for th feed to the tools.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevation, diagrammatic in character, of the drive for the feed to the tools.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a series of guard slides.

Looking now at the drawings, especially at Figures 2 and 3, the vertical frame members of the machine are shown at 1 and the horizontal ones at 2. A pair of bearing housings 3 are bolted to the front of the frame members 1, and carry the spindles 4, these spindles having mounted on their inner ends toward the center of the lathe, air chucks 5, and at their outer ends have mounted double acting air cylinders 6 for operating the chucks.

The chucks 5 may be those of my Patent No. 1,723,347 of August 6, 1929, or any suitable air operated chuck and the air operating cylinders 6 may be any one of the many commercial types now on the market.

Mounted in hearings in the frame members 1 and 2, at their rear, is a master crankshaft 7 (Figure 3), this crankshaft being prefere ably of a larger diameter than the shaft to be turned by the lathe.

At the front ofthe lathe, mounted in ways 8 in the members 1 are sliding journal boxes 9, these journal boxes carrying the second and third master crankshafts 10 and 11. There are four journal boxes, two in each way 8, for the ends of the shafts 10 and 11. The arrangementof the shafts is such as to cause the working tools to correspond in their movement to the movement of the crank pins of a crankshaft mounted on its main axis and revolved by the lathe spindles.

On the top at the rear of the left hand frame member 1 is mounted a motor 12. Extending across the lathe and through the frame members is a drive shaft 13, having at its left hand end a gear train 1% meshing with the drive gear on the motor 12.

The gear train 14 is provided at 15 with a clutch member of any of the usual well known types.

On the right hand end of the shaft 13 is a gear 16 known as a pick-0d gear, this gear meshing with a second pick-off gear 17, keyed on a stub shaft 18, mounted in bearings carried by the right hand frame member 1, this stub shaft also having mounted upon it a main drive pinion 19, this pinion meshing with gear 20 carried by the outer end of rear master crankshaft 7, thus driving the master crankshaft at a speed determined by the motor and the two pick-ofi' gears 16 and 17. As the name implies, these pick-0d gears may be of different ratios, and by changing them, the speed of the master shaft 7 and that them arms31 and 32, these arms formin of spindles 4-4 may be varied to suit the work at hand.

The drive of the spindles will now be de scribed (Figure 2).

stud, mounted in the frame 1, carries a gear 21, this gear being in driving mesh with gear 20 of the rear master crankshaft 7, and in mesh with gear 22, mounted on a shaft carried in the frame 1,this gear 22 in turn be, ing in driving mesh with a pinion 24 ona shaft 23, this shaft 23 pasingacross the machine at the front and having on its left hand end, a pinion 25.

The two pinion's'24 and 25, on the shaft 23, mesh with gears 26 and 27 mounted on the spindles 44 of the lathe, and thus furnish the drive for the spindles 4 and the chucks 5 and 6. Mounted upon and keyed to the rear masterv crankshaft 7, are. gears- 28 and 29, these gears bein the beginning of a drive train of gearing or the twofront master crankshafts 10 and 11.

The drive for the two front master crankshafts introduces a problem to be overcome,

since these two shafts furnish the feeding means for the tools that turn the work, in this case, an automotive crankshaft. At their outermost point of travel, the distance from the center of the rear master crankshaft to the centers of the two front master crankshafts 10 and 11 is greater than it is when the two front master crankshafts are at their innermost point of travel. This occurs, by reason of the fact that the two front master crankshafts in their approach and retreat to and from the work, do so in a vertical path in their sliding journals 9, and hence, as before stated, at their outermost point of travel the length of the angular center line is greater than it is when the two shafts approach a horizontal center line. g It therefore follows, that under the above conditions, fixed gearing would be out of the question, and there must be some system whereby the drive between the front and rear master crankshafts wiH compensate for this increase and decrease in the distance between the centers. 3

Such a system will now be described (Figures 2, 3 and 4).

Bearing bushings 30 are mounted in the frame 1 at the rear of the lathe and car the end bearings of master shaft 7, these bear; ing bushings extending inward of the frame members 1 and have movably mounted on projections from collars 32a that embrace the inner portions of the bushings.

At the front of the lathe and carried by the movable journal boxes 9 of the frontmaster irankshafts 10 and 11 are swingingly'moun'ted arms 33 and 34, said arms being on collars 34a journaled' on bosses formed on the boxes.

Mounted in the outer ends of the arms 31, 32, 33 and 34 are long journal pins 35, these pins 35 acting as pivots for pairs of side bars 36 and 37, and'also as the journals for gear wheels, as will be noted. At the mid-length of side bars'36 and 37 and duplicated at each side of the machine, is a journal pin 38, this journal pin having a shoe 39, on one of its ends, this shoe having taper sides 40 which on age -a slide way 41 formed on the housing rame 1.

Mounted on one of the rear journal 'pins 35 at the left of the machine-is a gear 42, this gear meshing with drive gear 29 on the master shaft 7; a second gear43 is mounted on the journal pin 38 at the center of the side bars 36 and 37, this gear meshing with the gear 42; a third gear 44 is mounted on the ournal pin 35 at the end of the side bars 36 37 furthest from the rear master shaft, this gear 44- meshing with gear 43 and with a gear on the lower front master crankshaft 11. v

It is to be seen that whenthe above described construction is completely assembled I have what may be called a gear cradle, carrying a train of gears and prevented from endwise movement by rasonof the central guiding ways 41, but being free to fiexup and down on a center that is also free to move vertically. With this construction when the front master crankshafts are adj sted up or down there is a slight move ment of the central pivot of thegear cradle up or down in a vertical direction while the ends under the influence of the arms 31 and 42 walking slightly on t e gears 28 and 45 on the rear and front master crankshafts, thus compensating for the increase or decrease of distance between the centers of the front and rear master crankshaft and at the same time maintaining the synchronism of the master shafts.

Looking at Figure 3, it should be noted that at the left end of the lathe the arm 32 points upward'and the arm 33 downward, and that the gear 44 is above the gear 45 on the lower front master crankshaft 11. Just the reverse is found at the right hand end of the lathe. At this end the arm 34 ry is down and the arm 31 is up and the gear 46 is above the gear 28 on the rear master crankshaft, and the gear 47 is below gear '45 on the upper front master crankshaft 10.

g The gears 42 and 46 correspond otherwisethan as to location, as do the gears 44 and 47. By this method, the drive from the rear master crankshaft 7 is relayed to the upper and lower master crankshafts 10 and 11 respectively.

The feed for the tools (the construction of which will be described later), is furnished by the movement of the two front master crankshafts 10 and 11 toward a central horizontal line, and the means for accomplishing this will first be described.

Mounted in the frame member or tieabar 2 at the front of the lathe and extending downward within the ways 8 are feed screws 48 and 49. Since these two feed screws are alike and carry duplicate parts, the parts mounted on the two screws will be similarly numbered. Sliding in guide ways in the frame member 1, as has been noted, are the journal carrying boxes 9, each having 2. lateral guide extension 50 threaded for the passage of the feed screws 48, the extension on the upper box being threaded for a right hand thread and the extension on the lower box being threaded for a left hand thread. The feed screws 48 and 49 are likewise thread ed right and left hand at their upper and lower sections respectively. it is manifest if the screws 48 and 49 be turned by any means, the journal boxes and whatever is carried by them, will move toward or away from each other, depending on the direction in which screws 48 and 49 are turned.

The means for turning the feed screws 48 and 49 will now be described.

Each feedscrew 48 or 49 has fixed upon its upper end a bevel gear 51. Meshing with these bevel gears 51 are bevel pinions 52 mounted on a horizontal drive shaft 53, this drive shaft extending to the left and having looselymounted on it, gears 54 and 55, these gears having clutch teeth on one side (Figures5 and 6). A clutch member 56 is keyed, with sliding relationship, to the shaft 53, and is capable, when engaged to either of the gears 54, 55, of driving the shaft 53 from either of two sources of power.

For rapid traversing the feed screws, a reversing motor 56a, is provided which is connected to gear 54 by gear train 57. The spindle drive shaft 23 which extends across the'lathe, has at its left hand end, a gear 58, this gear meshing with a train of gears 59 which, in turn, mesh with gear 55 on the shaft 53.

Inspection of Figures 5 and 6 reveals that with the arrangement described the shaft 53 and the feed screws 48 and 49 may be driven at will from either of the two sources of power as the clutch member 56 is coupled to one or the other of gears 54 or 55, and thus feed the journal boxes 9 at slow speed or approach or withdraw them to the work by rapid movement, the slow feed derived from the spindle drive serving as cutting feed and the reversing motor drive as rapid traverse, as will be noted.

The tool carrying bars will now be described.

Looking at Figures 2 and 3, it will be seen that the tool bars 60 and 61 are in the form of flat arms having a depth much greater than equal to the width of the pin of the crankshaft to be turned.

The upper and lower tool bars 60 and 61 are mounted at their rear ends on the eccentrics of the master crankshaft 7, an upper bar 60 and a lower bar 61 being paired to each eccentric, the end of'each bar being split as at 62 to provide a detachable bearing on the eccentrics of the rear master crankshaft 7. The eccentrics on all master shafts match each'other and are oriented alike, being held in orientation by their gear connections.

Near the front of each tool bar are pockets 63, these pockets providing space for a pair of half bearings 64, these hearings fitting the pockets top and bottom'but having no bearing in the pockets at the front or rear. These bearings are thus free toadjust themselves forward or rearward, as occasion may require. These bearings are held in place by cap pieces 65 bolted to the edges of the tool bars, since any side movement is resisted by their fit between the throws of the eccentrics.

With the tool bars at their starting position, that is, with the master crankshafts 1t, and 11 and the journal boxes 9, at their outward extremes of travel, the half bearing 64 at the front of the tool bars would be toward the front of the pockets 63. As the master shafts and the tool bars arefed toward the work, the tool bars describe an arc, pivoting on master crank 7, but the journal boxes 9 and the master cranks l0 and 11, travel in a vertical path as they are fed by the feed screws 48 and 49 so that when the tool bars 60 and 61 are at their innermost points of travel, the half bearing 64 will be at the rear of the pockets 63.

The construction above described makes possible the straight vertical feed of master crankshafts for a group of tool bars whose path of approach to the work is that of part of an arc.

The tools 66 are shown typically and form I mounted in grooves in the front frame of the lathe are provided, which close the gaps in the front of the lathe frame above, between and below the tool bearing arms of each set.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be noted that the front ofthe frame is provided with a series of vertical bars 67 which space and act as side guides for the tool carrying members 60, 61.

Referring to Figure 7 it will be noted that I provide slides in groups of three arranged as best shown in Figure 3. The slides 68 are the outer ones of these series, the plates 71,

the intermediate ones, and the slides 7 3, the

inner ones of each series of three. The vertlcal grooves n the lateral walls of each member 67 serve to supportand guide the plates of each series, there beingnaturally three sets of grooves in each instance. Referring first to the slide 73 which is the inner slide of each series, it is provided with a lower aperture 7 3a of a size to engage around the lower tool bar 61 and an upper slot 74 which is long enough to engage about the upper tool bar 60 and at the same time permit the. upper bar mediate slide 71 is adjusted in position and held without sliding during the operation of the machine. It has two slots 72 corresponding in length and function to the slots 70 and 74 of the inner and outer slides.

For increasing the bearing area I prefer to provide pieces 69, one engaging the upper end of the slot 68a of the outer slide for the upper toolbar and the other engaging the upper end of the slot 73a in the inner slide for the lower 'tool bar. These pieces 69 are grooved to receive the slot edges.

Fromthe above it will be noted that the entire space behind the work is enclosed either by the tool bars themselves, one or the other of the slides or the vertically arranged frame members which form lateral bearings for the tool bar.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. In a crank shaft lathe,.a series of moving tool carrying frames, a support for the work in front of said frames, spacing bars between said frames, and enclosing the spaces between frames and means for maintaining closed the spaces not occupied by the frames, between said spacing bars.

2. In a crank shaft lathe, a series of moving tool carrying frames, a support for the work in front of said frames, spacing bars between the tool carrying frames.

said frames, and enclosing the spaces between frames and means for maintaining closed the spaces not occupied by the frames, between said spacing bars, comprising plates slidably held in the spacing bars, and engaging about 3. In a crank shaft-lathe, a series of moving tool carrying frames, asupport for-the work in front of said frames, spacing bars between said frames, and enclosing the spaces between frames and means for maintaining closed the spaces not occupied by the frames, between said spacing bars, said tool carrying frames arranged in pairs approaching the work from above and below.- 1

4. In a crank shaft lathe, a series of moving tool carrying frames, a support for the work in front of said frames, spacing bars between said frames, and enclosmg the aces between frames'and means for mamtaimng closed the spaces not occupied by the frames, between said spacing bars, said tool carrying frames arranged in pairs approaching the work from above and below, the means for closing the spaces between spacing bars comprising plates slidably held in the spacing bars, there being a plurality for each pair of tool carrying frames, one engaging each frame, and having an opening engaging about the other frame sufficient to allow for its feeding movement with relation to the other frame.

5. In a crank shaft lathe, a series of movwork in front of said frames, spacing bars between said frames, and enclosing the spaces between frames and means for maintaining closed the spaces not occupied by the frames, between said spacing bars, said tool carrying frames arranged'in pairs approaching the work from above and below, the means for closing the spaces between spacing bars comprising plates slidably held inthe spacing bars, there being a plurality for each pair of tool carrying frames, one engaging each frame, and having an opening engaging about the other frame sufficient to allow for its feeding movement with relation to the other frame, and a third plate for each pair, fixed in position, and having openings to engage .both frames of the pair with sufficientspace to permit of-the'total feeding movement of each.

6. In a latheof the character described, a

rotary work'holder and a plurality ofrotary.

master shafts each having an eccentric surface, means synchronizing the rotation of said work holder and shafts, tool holders having each a bearing on the eccentric surfaces of two of said shafts and having its bearing on one of the eccentric surfaces slidable on the holder, and means to move two of the shafts for feeding each tool holder toward and away from the axis of the work holder.

7. Ina lathe of the character described, a

ing tool carrying frames, a support for the rotary work holder and a plurality of rotary master shafts each'having an eccentric surface, means'synchronizing the rotation of said work holder and shafts, tool holders each having a bearing on the eccentric surfaces of respective ones of said shafts and having its bearlng on said eccentric surface slidable on the holder, and both tool holders having having a bearing on the eccentric surfaces of two of said shafts and having its bearing on one of the eccentric surfaces slidable on the holder, an articulated mounting for said synchronizing means, maintaining said means in operative relation to} said shafts during the tool holder feeding movement of the two shafts, and means to move the two shafts for feeding each tool holder toward and away from the axis of the work holder.

9. In a lathe of the character described, a rotary work holder and a plurality of rotary master shafts each having an eccentric surface, means synchronizing the rotation of said work holder and shafts, tool holders each having a bearing on the eccentric surfaces of respective ones of said shafts and having its bearing on said eccentric surface slidable on the holder, an articulated mounting for said synchronizing means, maintaining said means in operative relation to said shafts during the tool holder feeding movements of the 'two shafts, both tool holders having hearings on an eccentric surface of another one of said shafts, and means to move the first mentioned shafts for feeding each tool holder toward and away from the axis of thework holder.

10. In a lathe of the character described, a rotary work holder anda plurality of rotary master shafts each having an eccentric surface, means synchronizing the rotation of said work holder and shafts comprising gearing from the work holder to one of said shafts and sets of gearing from this one of the shafts to others of said shafts, tool holders each having a bearing on the eccentric surfaces of two of said shafts and having its bearing on one of the eccentric surfaces slidable on the holder, and means to move two of the shafts for feeding each tool holder toward and away from the axis of the work holder.

11. In a lathe of the character described, a rotary work holder and a plurality of rotarymaster shafts each having an eccentric surface, means synchronizing the rotation of said work holder and shafts comprising gearing from the work holder to one of said shafts and sets of gearing from this one of the shafts to others of the shafts, tool holders each having a bearing on the eccentric surfaces of respective ones of said shafts, and having its bearing on said eccentric surface slidable on the holder, and both tool holders having hearings on an eccentric surface of another one of said shafts, and means to move two of the shafts for feeding each tool holder toward and away from the axis of the work holder.

12. Ina lathe of the character described, a rotary work holder and a plurality of'rotary master shafts each having an eccentric surface, means synchronizing the rotation of said work holder and shafts comprising gearing from the work holder to one of said shafts and sets of gearing from this one of the shafts to others of said shafts, and articulated mountings for the respective sets of gearing, maintaining the meshing of said sets of gearing during the tool holder feeding movement of two shafts, tool holders each having a bearing on the eccentric surfaces of respective ones of said shafts, and having its bearing on said eccentric surface slidable on theholder, and both tool holders having hearings on an eccentric surface of another one of said shafts, andmeans to move two of the shafts for feeding each tool holder toward and away from the axis of the crank holder. p

13. In a lathe of the character described, a rotary work holder, and a plurality of rotary master shafts each having an eccentric surface, means synchronizing the rotation of said work holder and shafts comprising gearing from the work holder to one of said shafts and sets of gearing from this one of the shafts to others of said shafts, each set of gearing comprising gears fixed on the respective master shafts and a train of gears from the gear of said one of the master shafts to the gear of each other master shaft, tool holders, each,- having a bearing on the eccentric surfaces of respective ones of said other shafts, and having its bearing on said eccentric surface slidable on the holder, and both tool holders having bearings on an eccentric surface of another one of said shafts, and means to move two of the shafts toward and from each other. I

14. In a lathe of the character described, a rotary work holder and a plurality of ro tary master shafts each iaving an eccentricsurface, means synchronizing the rotation of the work holder and shafts comprising arms swinging concentrically with the respective master shafts, link means connecting the arms, and guides for the middles of the links, and gearing from the work holder to one of the master shafts, gears fixed on the respective master shafts, gears rotating concentrically with the respective connec tions of the link means to the arms, and a gear meshing with the latter mentioned gears and rotating at said middle of said link, tool holders each having a bearing on the. eccentric surfaces of respective ones 'of said shafts,

. and having its bearing on said eccentric surface slidable on said holder, and both tool holders having bearings on an eccentric surface of another one of said shafts, and means to move two of the shafts for feeding each tool holder toward and away from the axis of the work holder.

15. In a lathe of the character described, a rotary work holder, master shafts to the rear of and above and below the work holder, a third master shaft to the rear of the aforesaid master shafts, each master shaft having an eccentric surface, means for rotating said shafts in synchronism, tool holders fulcrumed on the eccentric surface of the third master shaft and having slidable rotary hearings on the eccentric surfaces of the respective first mentioned master shafts and havin exten- 8 sions forward into roximity with t e work holder, with means or holding tools to opposite sides of work held in said work holder. 16. In a lathe of the character described,

4 a rotary work holder, master shafts to the '10 rear of and'above and below the work holder, a third master shaft to the rear of the aforesaid master shafts, each master shaft having an eccentric surface, means for rotating said shafts in synchronism with each 18 other and with said work holder, tool holders fulcrumed on the third master shaft ec- 4 centric surface and having rotary slidable hearings on the eccentric surfaces of the respective first mentioned master shafts and 20 havin extensions forward into proximity with 15m work holder, with means for holding tools to opposite sides of work held in said work holder, and means having oppositely directed threads connected with the re- 86 spective tool holders to feed said tools toward and away from the respective sides of the work.

17. In a lathe of the character described, three master crank shafts, bearings for the 0 opposite end parts of said shafts, a work holder rotatin n synchronism with the three crank sha s, two tool holders, both pivoted on the eccentric part of one crank shaft and having bearings on the eccentric parts of re- 85 s ective ones of the other two crank shafts,

t e bearings for the last mentioned crank shafts being slidable toward and away from each other to feed the tool holders toward and away from the work holder, two elements 40 each having oppositely directed threads, each with its oppositely directed'threads connected with respective bearings at one end of a crank shaft and means for rotating said elements simultaneousl i 45 1AM F. GROENE. 

